1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reel assembly for power cord applications and, in particular, concerns a reel assembly for storing power cords, wherein the reel assembly is suitable for being hung or suspended above the ground via a hook assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
In many household and shop applications, the use of an extension cord to provide power for power tools or for lights is common. Extension cords are typically used to extend the source of power from a wall into the center of a room or outside of a building to a place where work is to be performed. One typical application of the use of an extension cord is to provide a source of light to the place where the work is to be performed. For example, when working on cars, it is common for individuals to use a trouble lamp to illuminate a portion of the car on which the work is to be done. This results in an extension cord extending across the floor from the source of power, which is typically located at a wall receptacle, to the position at which the car is parked.
It will be appreciated that the use of such extension cords often creates hazards as a result of the extension cord being strewn across the ground. Moreover, extension cords readily become tangled. As a consequence, when individuals wish to use an extension cord, oftentimes a considerable amount of time is spent untangling the extension cord prior to deploying the extension cord. This lost time, of course, is frustrating for the individual and creates inefficiencies in performing work.
To address this particular need, various reel mechanisms have been developed for storing extension cords for both power outlets and trouble lamps when not in use. One typical extension cord reel is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,147 to Kovacik et al. Kovacik discloses a reel assembly into which the majority of the length of the extension cord can be stored when not in use. The reel has an electrical plug which allows the reel to be plugged into a wall socket and an opening through which the extension cord can be deployed. The Kovacik reference also discloses the use of a generally circular housing which is rotatably mounted to a bracket that allows the reel assembly to be hung off of the ground in a location adjacent a wall socket. The cord is stored on an interior pulley which is generally spring loaded such that the extension cord can be retracted back inside of the housing when not in use.
While the Kovacik reference does disclose a device that reduces the problems associated with extension cords, there are several limitations in the Kovacik device. In particular, the manner in which the Kovacik device is constructed results in the Kovacik device being generally unstable when it is hung off of the floor. In particular, the Kovacik device uses a U-shaped bracket that has two arms which attach at the center of the generally circular housing in which the extension cord is stored. Hence, the point of attachment of the bracket to the housing is generally at the center of mass of the housing which is relatively distal from the point of suspension of the housing. As a consequence, the torque produced on the mounting hook as a result of motion of the housing in increased. It will be appreciated that these devices are routinely hung from precarious holds adjacent the work area such that users can easily bump into the reel assembly which can cause the reel assembly to fall to the ground. Moreover, the users also tend to extend and retract the extension cord while the housing is suspended above the ground. The extension and retraction of the extension cord causes the housing to move relative to the suspension point which can also cause the housing to become dislodged and fall to the ground. This can result in damage to the reel assembly over time and, at a minimum, represents an inconvenience to the user. Further, the U-shaped bracket in Kovacik covers a significant portion of the outer housing of the assembly thereby eliminating this space as a space in which additional components, such as circuit breakers, can be mounted.
Moreover, the manufacture of reel assemblies, such as the assembly disclosed in the Kovacik reference, is generally complicated. In particular, the extension cord on these types of assemblies is typically stored on a generally cylindrical reel member. The reel member defines a surface that is generally bounded by two flange members on the lateral ends of the surface. The flange members extend vertically outward from the plane of the surface so as to retain the extension cord in proximity to the surface. For ease of assembly, the spool member generally has one flange member that is fixedly attached to the spool member. The second flange member is mounted onto the spool member after the installation of the extension cord so as to facilitate the ease of installation of the extension cord on the spool member. Typically, the second flange member is made of metal and is attached to the spool member through the use of clips and the like.
However, over repeated use, the metal flange members can rust which can ultimately result in the spool member binding during extension and retraction of the extension cord. Moreover, repeated use of the spool member can result in breakage of the clips that attach the metal flange member to the spool member. It will be appreciated that these reel assemblies are often used in harsh conditions where they are periodically dropped or banged and that the repeated extension and retraction of the extension cord exerts a continued force against the clips. Hence, over time the extension cord assembly often fails at the clips causing the flange member to detach from the spool member or causing a clip to break off and bind the spool member.
Hence, there is a need for an extension cord assembly which can be more stabily mounted to a surface adjacent an extension cord such that it is less likely to be dislodged. Moreover, there is also a need for an extension cord assembly that is less likely to be damaged through continued use of the assembly. To this end, there is a need for an improved manner of constructing a spool member such that the spool member is more resistant to damage resulting from prolonged use.
The aforementioned needs are satisfied by the extension cord reel assembly of the present invention which, in one embodiment, is comprised of a spool assembly that is adapted to receive the extension cord, a housing assembly that is adapted to contain the spool assembly having an opening from which the extension cord can be extended, and a suspension assembly mounted adjacent a first edge of the housing that allows the spool assembly to be suspended from the suspension assembly so as to be retained off of the ground. Because the bracket assembly is mounted to the housing adjacent a first edge of the housing, the likelihood that the housing will become dislodged as a result of movements of the housing stemming from vibrations or people extracting or retracting the cord is reduced.
In one particular embodiment, the suspension assembly is comprised of a generally U-shaped bracket that, on an upper surface of the U-shaped bracket, includes a hanger member. The U-shaped bracket is attached to a protrusion formed on a first side of the housing wherein the spool member is positioned within the portion of the housing that does not comprise the protrusion. In this way, the retractable extension cord assembly is less likely to be dislodged by vibrations as the center of mass of the housing assembly is located beneath the attachment point of the bracket assembly.
In another aspect of the invention, the spool member, which is adapted to receive the extension cord for storage within the housing, includes at least one flange member which extends upward from the surface of the spool member upon which the extension cord resides so as to retain the extension cord on the spool member wherein the at least one flange member is continuously attached to an outer edge of the spool member via a continuous weld. Attaching the flange member in this fashion reduces the likelihood that the flange member will become dislodged from the spool member as a result of dropping the assembly or repeated extensions and retractions of the extension cord. In one particular embodiment, the spool member is formed of a plastic material and the flange member is also formed of a plastic material that is ultrasonically welded to the spool member. The use of a plastic material further reduces the tendency of the reel assembly to become inoperable over time as a result of rust of the spool member.
It will be appreciated that the reel assembly of the present invention is less likely to be dislodged from its suspension location, is easier to manufacture and is more durable than existing extension cord reel assemblies of the prior art. These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.